Number Neighbor

11

Midterms are around the corner. I finally am understanding 3 words in 7 when someone speaks in Korean, but it's still more about context than actual comprehension, and I am still translating it in my head, so I am slower than a native speaker... by a lot.

Texts are still in English, thank goodness, with my number neighbors. I think Joon and Yoongi want to push the rest to learn more English. I am very happy to help, as it might take all three years of classes for me to get the hang of written Hangul. Joon said I might want to anyways, as while it's only required for two years it's still an option to continue taking it for the third year.

They have decided I need to celebrate midterms when I finish my last test, so I am tapped to bake again for another cookout.

As it's fall they have requested honey sweetened nutty small cakes. I look up what the holidays around here usually do, and while Chuseok has just passed, the flavors are in the same family of the treats associated with it. 

I don't want to step on any traditional toes, so I'm thinking a honey nut coffee cake... in muffin forms, some lemon pine nut muffins, and a caramel cashew fudge. I decide as I'm finishing to add in almond honey macarons as well, as I have a promise to keep.

****

After the barbecue is polished off, what's left of the side dishes are left to barely cling to the edges of plates and bowls... the desserts are brought out.

Joon kindly breaks all the strings for us, to an applause and a bit of ribbing from his friends, and everyone oohs and ahhs over the pile of treats I brought.

Obviously there was a contest to see the order of who was selecting. This time Jin got first, Jimin got second, and I got third. JK almost threw a fit when he found out he was last, with Hobi, Joon, Suga, and Tae following me in line, but everyone offered him a bite as they sat down so he slowly grew out of his funk. By the time it was his turn he made a bee-line for the house instead, coming back out with a fancy espresso maker and the requirements for making the delicious concoction. Yoongi got up to help him set it up, and decided to man the machine and take orders while JK collected his dessert, everyone praising his ingenious idea.

While I was waiting for my espresso my phone dinged, so I checked it, planning on just seeing who it was.

Instead I opened the e-mail from my school, the results of my midterm tests in.

****

'Fuck....' I mutter under my breath.

'What's wrong?' Joon asks, not quite reading over my shoulder from where he sits beside me.

'Got my grades in.' I scowl at my phone.

'What's got you swearing, then?' He asks, his attention to me becoming the center of everyone's awareness.

'I got decent grades in almost everything... but I failed noodles.' I mumble through a small pout. 'That's going to be hard to recover from.'

'What's wrong with noodles?' Jin asks from across the way.

'I think I misunderstood the requirements of the midterm test. I did use glass noodles, but I made a hot dish, with sweet and sour sauce. The translation of my results say I was supposed to do a cold dish, and sweet only.'

'Tell them your translation program missed on that one, and ask to redo the test?' Suggested Joon.

I shook my head. 'They don't allow redos at midterms, only during in class tests.'

At this point Jin starts shouting rapidly, reminding me of our first conversation. It makes me smile a bit, which only makes him get angrier and go even faster. Despite the humorous responses from everyone at his attempt to rap his opinion, Suga nods and agrees with him.